1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to telecommunication systems and, more particularly, to a system and method for providing access to the Internet via a radio telecommunications network for a mobile subscriber while roaming in a visited service area.
2. Description of Related Art
Due to the phenomenal growth of the popularity of the Internet as the world's largest public data network, providing on-demand access to it has become a significant concern. Entities such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have become prominent in providing inexpensive access to the Internet via conventional wireline Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs). Traditionally, such Internet access has been confined to connecting subscribers'home or office computers to an ISP server that is located in a geographic region that is typically near their homes or offices.
Recently, because of the growth of the ISPs in terms of their geographic coverage, subscribers who are away from their homes or offices have also been able to access the Internet. Typically, obtaining this "remote site" access involves calling a 1-800 number to connect to the computer user's ISP. At times, it may be necessary to call the ISP's sales department or customer service department to request a telephone number associated with a server location ("local" server) of that ISP which is located nearest to the subscriber's present location. Once the "local" server's telephone number is obtained, the subscriber's computer may then be connected thereto for accessing the Internet. It should be appreciated, therefore, that it is typically quite inconvenient for users to access the Internet while located away from their homes/offices.
Current improvements in computer and radio telecommunications technologies have now made it feasible to access the Internet using computers interfaced with mobile phones. Because of this development, Internet access is available even in areas without any landline connections. However, when mobile subscribers attempt to access the Internet while roaming, they experience inconvenient situations similar to those encountered by the wireline users described above. Moreover, if the "local" ISP server is located in a calling area that is different from where the roaming mobile subscriber is located, the mobile subscriber may typically incur additional tolls and charges in relation to its wireless Internet access.
A current solution for providing Internet access to roaming mobile subscribers involves incorporating or interfacing a device known as a Direct Access Unit (DAU) with a Mobile Switching Center (MSC) that serves the visiting mobile subscriber. The DAU device routes an Internet access call (data call) originated by the visiting mobile subscriber to an ISP server location determined by the MSC operator. There are several shortcomings in this approach. First, the interfacing devices are typically operable only with digital mobile phones, thereby precluding the use of widely used analog or dual-mode mobile phones for accessing the Internet. Second, the ISP server location to which the roaming mobile subscriber's data call is routed is controlled by the operator of the serving MSC, thereby precluding the mobile subscriber from selecting a preferred ISP server location. Also, the routing path to the ISP server location may not be the most economical call path available to the mobile subscriber. Further, if the operator-controlled ISP location is in a different calling area, the mobile subscriber's Internet access is subject to additional charges as well.
Accordingly, based upon the foregoing discussion, it should be readily appreciated that there exists a need for a solution which overcomes the deficiencies and shortcomings of current technologies and advantageously provides Internet access to roaming mobile subscribers in a radio telecommunications network. The present invention provides such a method and system.